The embodiments described herein relate generally to a detection system assembly, and more particularly, to a detection system assembly having a removable dryer cartridge and an external regenerator for drying the dryer cartridge.
At least some known detection systems generate an air flow to carry molecules from a sample material to a detector, e.g., an ion mobility spectrometer or an ion trap mobility spectrometer. More specifically, the sample and ambient air are heated to remove contaminates from the air and to cause molecules from the sample to flow with the air flow. The sample molecules can be analyzed to determine whether contraband is present. As used herein, the term “contraband” refers to illegal substances, explosives, narcotics, weapons, special nuclear materials, dirty bombs, nuclear threat materials, a threat object, and/or any other material that a person is not allowed to possess in a restricted area, such as a border crossing and/or an airport.
At least some known ion mobility spectrometer (IMS) and/or ion trap mobility spectrometer (ITMS) detection systems use a desiccant material, such as a molecular sieve, to maintain low humidity levels in a detection loop. When the sieve becomes saturated with moisture, maintenance is performed on the detection system to replace the “wet” sieve with a “dry” sieve material. Another known detection system includes at least one dryer in flow communication with the air flow. The dryer removes moisture from an air flow and the dry air flow facilitates carrying sample molecules to the detector. However, the dryer becomes wetted and must be periodically dried. With at least some known detection systems, in order to dry the dryer, the entire detection system is taken offline until the dryer is sufficiently dried.
Other known systems include a dual dryer system in which one dryer is used to dry air while the other dryer is regenerated. Such a detection system is not taken offline to dry the dryer and/or to replace a sieve.
The above-described detection systems generally are placed on a desktop. A sample is collected then taken to the detection system for analysis of the sample.